1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image displaying apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a stereoscopic image displaying apparatus which forms or selects a stereoscopic image desired by the user for display.
2. Description of the Background Art
An image of an area in all directions over 360xc2x0 taken by a camera positioned at the center is referred to as a panoramic image or a panorama.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are illustrations showing a method of cutting out and displaying part of conventional panoramic image data in an interactive way. FIG. 1A shows an example of a method of photographing to obtain panoramic image data. FIG. 1B shows a concept of cutting out and displaying a desired part of the panoramic image.
Referring to FIG. 1A, assume that a camera (subject) 32 is positioned at the center, viewing scenes therearound over 360xc2x0. Camera 32 rotates once with the direction changed, starting from position A. Accordingly, a series of planer image data Gi (i=1, 2, 3, . . . N) are obtained. Generally, overlapping portions of the data are removed and panoramic image data is obtained.
The user views the panoramic image data by using a planer display, and an image of a part, or a partial image, Ri is displayed on a planer display screen 36, if the central image Ri of the panoramic image data has represented in FIG. 1B is designated by a cursor.
Thus the user can cut out and display on a planer display 36 a desired image Ri from a series of panoramic image in an interactive manner, and can enjoy panoramic view of 360xc2x0 on the display screen.
Another conventional system has been known in which a selected part of a displayed planer image is enlarged and displayed as if a zoom lens is used.
Further, among image data obtained through the network such as the Internet, there are real image data obtained by photographing objects of scenes from multiple points of view as well as CG data corresponding to multiple points of view (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cmulti view point image dataxe2x80x9d) in accordance with a format such as Quick Time VR (trademark of Apple Computer of the United States) or VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language). A system has been known which displays image data of an object or scene viewed from an arbitrary view point on an output device such as a display screen, utilizing the multi view point image data.
However, there has not been any system which displays a stereoscopic image based on existing image data such as the above described panoramic image.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a stereoscopic image displaying apparatus capable of providing a stereoscopic image display of a desired planer image, a method therefor, and a computer readable recording medium storing a program for the stereoscopic image display.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stereoscopic image displaying apparatus capable of giving a stereoscopic display of an image of a selected portion of a planer image.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of forming image data for stereoscopic display which allows formation of image data to be given as stereoscopic display, by using CG data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of forming image data for stereoscopic display which allows formation of image data to be given as binocular stereoscopic display, using CG data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for forming image data for stereoscopic display, which allows formation of image data to be given as stereoscopic display, using CG data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for forming image data for stereoscopic display, which allows, formation of image data to be given as binocular stereoscopic display, using CG data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of stereoscopic display which allows formation of image data to be given as stereoscopic display, using multi view point image data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of stereoscopic display which allows formation of image data to be given as stereoscopic display viewed from an arbitrary point, utilizing the multi view point image data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of stereoscopic display which allows formation of image data to be given as stereoscopic display which is free of any unnaturalness when viewed by a person, using multi view point image data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of stereoscopic display allowing formation of image data which can be given as binocular stereoscopic display.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a stereoscopic display apparatus allowing formation of image data which can be given as stereoscopic display, using multi view point image data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a stereoscopic display apparatus allowing formation of image which can be given as stereoscopic display viewed from an arbitrary point, using multi view point image data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a stereoscopic display apparatus allowing formation of image data which can present stereoscopic image free of any unnaturalness when viewed by a person, using multi view point image data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a stereoscopic display apparatus allowing formation of image data which can be given as binocular stereoscopic display, using multi view point image data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a computer readable recording medium storing a stereoscopic display program to be executed by a computer for implementing a method of stereoscopic display allowing formation of image data tobe given as stereoscopic display using multi view point image data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a computer readable recording medium storing a stereoscopic display program to be executed by a computer for implementing a stereoscopic display method allowing formation of image data to be given as stereoscopic display viewed from an arbitrary point, using multi view point image data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a computer readable recording medium storing a stereoscopic display program to be executed by a computer for implementing a stereoscopic display method which allows formation of image data to be given as stereoscopic display free from any unnaturalness when viewed by a person, using multi view point image data.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a computer readable recording medium storing a stereoscopic display program to be executed by a computer for implementing a stereoscopic display method which allows formation of image data to be given as binocular stereoscopic display, using multi view point image data.
The stereoscopic image display apparatus in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes an input operating unit for designating an image of a desired portion of a planer image, and a stereoscopic display controlling unit for displaying on a stereoscopic display screen, stereo-pair images corresponding to the partial image designated by the input operating unit.
The stereo-pair images which allow stereoscopic view, corresponding to the designated partial image are generated. Therefore, the image of the desired portion of a planer image can be given as a stereoscopic image.
Preferably, the stereo-pair images maybe prepared in advance corresponding to the designated partial image.
By this structure, it becomes possible to readily display, simply by preparing in advance stereo-pair images for each of partial images of a planer image in advance, corresponding stereoscopic image on a stereoscopic display screen.
More preferably, the stereo-pair images may be generated for each partial image.
When this approach is taken, it becomes unnecessary to prepare the stereo-pair images in advance, and hence memory capacity therefor can be reduced.
More preferably, the planer image may be a panoramic image.
In this case, the panoramic image can be displayed as stereoscopic images in an interactive manner, and hence an apparatus suitable for the field of virtual walk-through application, for example, can be provided.
More preferably, the stereo-pair images may be data obtained through photographing by a stereo camera.
Therefore, the stereo-pair images can be obtained simply by photographing the image of the desired portion by a stereo camera, and therefore, a stereoscopic image corresponding to the partial image can readily be displayed.
More preferably, the stereo-pair images may be data obtained by distorting the partial image in accordance with a prescribed procedure.
Accordingly, the stereo-pair images corresponding to the image of the selected portion can be obtained by calculation, and hence stereoscopic image of the desired portion can readily be displayed.
Further, the stereo-pair images may be data formed by computer graphics for the partial image.
Accordingly, the stereo-pair images corresponding to the partial image can be formed by computer graphics, and hence stereoscopic image of the desired portion can readily be displayed.
According to another aspect, the method of displaying stereoscopic image in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of designating an image of a desired portion of a planar image, and displaying a stereoscopic image based on stereo-pair images corresponding to the designated partial image.
Therefore, each of the partial images of the planer image can be represented as a stereoscopic image.
The computer readable recording medium in accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention stores a program of the method of stereoscopic display for displaying, as a stereoscopic image, a desired portion of a planer image, including the steps of designating an image of a desired portion of a planer image, and displaying a stereoscopic image based on stereo-pair images corresponding to the designated partial image.
Therefore, it is possible to display each of the partial images of the planer image as a stereoscopic image.
According to a still further aspect, a method of forming image data for stereoscopic display used in the method of stereoscopic display using CG data includes the steps of setting a plurality of view points, and forming and outputting a plurality of image data viewed from respective ones of the plurality of view points using CG data.
As image data viewed from a plurality of view points are output, it is possible to form image data to be given as stereoscopic display, using CG data.
Preferably, the number of the aforementioned view points is two.
As image data viewed from two different view points are obtained, image data allowing binocular stereoscopic display can be formed.
An apparatus for forming image data for stereoscopic display used in a stereoscopic image data display system including the apparatus for forming image data for stereoscopic display using CG data and a stereoscopic display apparatus for giving stereoscopic display of the aforementioned image data includes a circuit for setting a plurality of view points, and an image data forming and outputting unit for forming and outputting a plurality of image data viewed from respective ones of the plurality of views points using CG data.
Since image data viewed from a plurality of view points are output, image data allowing stereoscopic display can be formed using the CG data.
Preferably, the number of the aforementioned view points is two.
As image data viewed from two different view points are obtained, image data allowing binocular stereoscopic display can be formed.
The method of stereoscopic display using multi view point image data consisting of a plurality of image data in accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention includes the steps of setting a plurality of view points, and forming and outputting a plurality of image data viewed from respective ones of the plurality of view points, using the multi view point image data.
As the plurality of views points are set and image data viewed from respective points are formed, it is possible to give stereoscopic display using the multi view point image data.
Preferably, the aforementioned step of forming and outputting the plurality of image data includes the steps of outputting, for each of the plurality of view points, when image data viewed from the view point exist in the multi view point image data, the corresponding image data, and forming and outputting, when the image data viewed from the view point does not exist among the multi view point image data, interpolated image data from image data viewed from view points near the view point of interest, among the plurality of multi view points image data.
When image data viewed from a set view point does not exist among the multi view point image data, the image data is formed by interpolating using peripheral image data. Accordingly, stereoscopic display viewed from an arbitrary view point is possible.
More preferably, the step of forming and outputting the plurality of image data includes the steps of outputting, when a plurality of cameras virtually set at the plurality of view points for taking the plurality of image data are in a prescribed relation, image data viewed from the plurality of view points, and converting image data viewed from the plurality of view points to image data which would be photographed by the plurality of cameras satisfying the prescribed relation, and outputting the converted image data, when the plurality of cameras do not satisfy the prescribed relation.
Accordingly, it is possible to convert image data to satisfy a prescribed relation and output the converted image, so that the image does not have any unnaturalness at the time of stereoscopic view.
The stereoscopic display apparatus using the multi view point image data consisting of a plurality of image data in accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention includes an input unit for setting a plurality of view points, and an image data forming and outputting unit for forming and outputting a plurality of image data viewed from respective ones of the plurality of view points set by the input unit, using the multi view point image data.
As the plurality of view points and image data viewed from the respective points are formed, it is possible to give stereoscopic display using the multi view point image data.
Preferably, the image data forming and outputting unit includes a circuit for outputting, for each of the plurality of view points set by the input unit, when the image data viewed from the view point exists among the multi view point image data, the corresponding image data, and a circuit for forming and outputting interpolated image data from image data viewed from view points near the view point of interest among the plurality of multi view point image data, when the image data viewed from the view point does not exist among the multi view point image data.
When the image data viewed from a set view point does not exist is the multi view point image data, interpolation is performed using image data of the periphery, and image is formed. Accordingly, image data allowing stereoscopic display viewed from an arbitrary view point can be formed.
More preferably, the image data forming and outputting unit includes a circuit for outputting, when a plurality of cameras set virtually at the plurality of view points for taking the plurality of image data satisfy a prescribed relation, the image data viewed from the plurality of view points, and a circuit for converting, when the plurality of cameras do not satisfy the prescribed relation, image data viewed from the plurality of view points to image data which would be taken by the plurality of cameras satisfying the prescribed relation, and outputting the converted image data.
The image data is converted to satisfy a prescribed relation and output, so that there is not any unnaturalness at the time of stereoscopic view.
The computer readable recording medium in accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention stores a stereoscopic display program to be executed by a computer for implementing the method of stereoscopic display for giving a stereoscopic display using multi view point image data consisting of a plurality of image data, which method includes the steps of setting a plurality of view points, and forming and outputting a plurality of image data viewed from respective ones of the plurality of view points using the multi view point image data.
When the plurality of view points are set, image data viewed from respective ones of the view points are formed, and therefore stereoscopic display using the multi view point image data is possible.
Preferably, the step of forming and outputting the plurality of image data includes the steps of outputting, for each of the plurality of view points, when the image data viewed from the view point exists among the multi view point image data, the corresponding image data, and forming and outputting, when the image data viewed from the view point does not exist among the multi view point image data, interpolated image data from the image data viewed from the view points near the view point of interest, among the plurality of image data of the multi view point image data.
When the image data viewed from a set view point does not exist among the multi view point image data, interpolating process is performed using image data of the periphery, and image data is formed. Therefore, it is possible to provide stereoscopic display viewed from an arbitrary view point.
More preferably, the step of forming and outputting the plurality of image data includes the steps of outputting, when a plurality of cameras arranged virtually at respective ones of the plurality of view points for taking the plurality of image data satisfy a prescribed relation, the image data viewed from the plurality of view points, and converting the image data viewed from the plurality of view points to image data which would be taken by the plurality of cameras satisfying the prescribed relation, and outputting the converted image data, when the plurality of cameras do not satisfy the prescribed relation.
Thus, it is possible to convert and output image data to satisfy the prescribed relation, so that there is not any unnaturalness at the time of stereoscopic view.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.